Bill Nighy's Living Acquired By Sony Pictures Classics Out Of Sundance
Bill Nighy's latest film "Living," which is based on the Akira Kurosawa's 1952 film "Ikiru," screened at the Sundance Film Festival in the premieres section. "Living" just sold to Sony Pictures Classics in North America and several other territories, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Those territories include Latin America, India, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Germany, South Africa, Southeast Asia, and airlines all over the world.
Our own Ethan Anderton reviewed the film at Sundance, calling it a "timeless" remake of the Kurosawa classic, though it "doesn't accomplish anything groundbreaking."
In the /Film review, Anderton says:
"Despite the period setting, the movie also somehow feels timeless, as if it were made in the 1950s, but with a visual style that calls to mind the cinematography of Janusz Kaminski's work with Steven Spielberg on "Bridge of Spies." Kazuo Ishiguro's script doesn't lean into sentimentality, and while that doesn't prevent him from telling a truly human story that is simultaneously uplifting and tragic all at once, it does make the film feel a little long, even with a 102-minute runtime."
Based on Akira Kurosawa's Ikiru
"Living" was written by Kazuo Ishiguro and tells the story of a man who is facing a terminal illness try to change the time he has left. Here is the logline for the film:
"A London shattered by WWII is still recovering. Williams (Nighy), a veteran civil servant, is an impotent cog within the city's bureaucracy as it struggles to rebuild. Buried under paperwork at the office, lonely at home, his life has long felt empty and meaningless. Then a shattering medical diagnosis forces him to take stock — and to try and grasp fulfillment before it goes beyond reach."
"Living" also stars Aimee Lou Wood ("Sex Education," "Mary Stuart"), Alex Sharp ("The Trial of the Chicago 7," "To the Bone"), and Tom Burke ("Only God Forgives," "Mank"). It was directed by Oliver Hermanus. It was produced through Number 9 Films, which, as the site points out, is also the company behind "Mothering Sunday," another acquisition for Sony Pictures Classics. Kurosawa Productions executive produced "Living," with financing from Film4, County Hall arts, and Lipsync.
Bill Nighy is known for his work in films like, "Love Actually," "Underworld," the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1," and "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel." He won a Golden Globe for his work in the series "Gideon's Daughter," and a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for "Skylight."